


Mixtape

by universecharm



Category: Final Space (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff, Found Family, Multi, Slow Burn, Songfic, aka fuck you theyre happy and theres nothing you can do about it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-28
Updated: 2018-04-24
Packaged: 2019-04-14 04:06:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 8,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14127699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/universecharm/pseuds/universecharm
Summary: Music has a weird way of changing lives, or narrating them.(A set of vaguely interconnected drabbles. Could be read chronologically or as one fic.)





	1. Now Playing Gary's Mixtape

Space was big.  
  
Of course, to most people, this seems like a comically obvious statement. Like, of course space was big, it's  _space_ , the infinite cosmos! Humanity has reached out and touched the heavens and the heavens answered with science and a map of every location they needed to know about. This let them skip over the in-betweens and the endless voids between planets- but if you've been up there long enough, you'll know just how truly massive it is, and just how lost you can become. It's like drowning.

If you believe the way space travel looks in movies- with the stars surrounding you like an ocean, passing planets and galaxies and cosmic wonderlands- you've been lied to. Most of space is tragically empty, expanding for farther than you can see naturally with nothing but void and the occasional bit of debris.  
  
It gets boring- painfully boring. So boring that Gary would spend hours running on the treadmill until his legs gave out and he would have to be put on watch. So boring that he would stack stuff up to see how tall he could get it.  
  
("You lived through a traumatic experience, Gary," they had told him as a kid. "It's still not normal to act out like this!" He never listened to them; his foster parents or his therapists or the social workers. Even before his dad left- left, not died, they never found a body, because _his father wasn't dead_ \- he couldn't focus or think clearly in school. This wasn't weird, this was just the way he was. They didn't understand that, though.)  
  
The worst part of it was the silence. Mechanical whirring would warp itself to sound like explosions and glass breaking and blood in his ears. He could never run from his thoughts. He couldn't flood his head with noise when the voices got to loud anymore.  
  
(He refused the suggested medicine. He tried them once, for a week. They made him sick and made him feel like his skin was moving and he walls were closing in. He slept for 3 days and the doctors couldn't make him get out of bed. They didn't try to make him take the medications after that.)  
  
Now imagine being stuck in that kind of world for 5 years with no organic life. Sure, the artificial intelligence of the day was impressive but if you talk to any robot long enough it starts repeating the same thing more than once. They can't play games because they use statistics to cheat. They don't care about your life story. They know when you're lying.  
  
So Gary spent hours upon hours picking away at HUE's AI programming to figure out any possible loophole in its logic. The most this had gotten him is a few movies and, thankfully, an entire lifetime's worth of music.  
  
The first thing he did was set up his old playlists again.  
  
His songs from when he was young and excited. From when he first left home. From when he thought about Quinn, or high school, or his time on the run.  
  
Over time, he picked out some songs that held a special place in his heart. Songs that reminded him why he had to keep waiting. Songs that kept his head above water.  
  
"HUE, play my mixtape."  
  
HUE didn't argue. HUE knew that without music Gary would get upset and become even less productive. Really, it was a win-win.  
  
  
"Now playing: [Gary's mixtape](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsoMlG7ETgh5gMav_MMVjYpkXIHszUvpE)."


	2. 1. Don't Stop Me Now - Queen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On Gary's childhood growing up with PTSD and ADHD and his teenage years when he learned to live with it.  
> https://youtu.be/fu1c3ryidNQ?list=PLsoMlG7ETgh5gMav_MMVjYpkXIHszUvpE

Gary was young, dumb, and full of adventure. Blowing up all those ships wasn’t his first crime, but merely the first time he was surrounded by Infinity Guards while committing them.   


He was on the run a lot in his teenage years. He had stolen his foster dad’s vintage motorcycle, with all the sharp edges and dark colors of the early 2020’s, and run away from his old life for the first and last time at 17, a wad of money in his coat pocket and an exhilarated grin on his face. He was finally living life on his own terms, and he had nothing holding him back from living anymore!  
  
(He never connected with any of the other kids at his high school. He wasn’t bullied, but he was only liked because he could make everyone laugh easily. He never managed to make any close bonds with anyone after his father-. He got in trouble nearly every day in some way or another and he only made good grades in chemistry and theater- but he actually enjoyed theater. He came ready to take notes to every chemistry lesson; he auditioned for every play and he stole the show every time.)  
  
He rode down the highway as fast as he could legally go, his hair held tightly under his helmet, weaving between cars on the mobius strip of a highway that stretched out infinitely before him. The night sky hung dark and empty over his head, the stars stolen from its expanse by the cities sparkling in the distance and Gary Goodspeed was absolutely drunk on the feeling of liberation it brought. No ties, no responsibilities, just his heart and soul laid out for the open road. It felt like the streetlights were trying to ignite him so he glowed right along with them, a beacon of hope every hundred feet.  
  
Eventually he pulled into a fairly busy bar and parked his bike, sauntering in with all the confidence of a grown adult, a cocky smirk on his face and the neon glow of the bar signs making him look alien. He sat down and ordered a root beer, knowing he would have to keep it on the down low if he wanted to not get kicked out or have the cops called on him.  
  
He repeated this cycle every night, slipping under the radar of the world, singing karaoke and occasionally spending the night with beautiful people who would always leave his stolen motel room before the sun came back up in the morning. He adored the feeling of danger and adventure and would do anything to keep the high it brought coming on strong, sneaking into concerts and crowd surfing, getting into high class parties, kissing strangers and living fast. He made money by betting, his luck somehow being the one thing that stuck with him through the years.  
  
He made a fairly good living for himself and his foster parents never went looking for him. They were only a blip in his mind now.   
  
In retrospect he realized most people would have been upset. That’s why people run away, right?  
  
He was never upset with what happened. He wasn’t trying to ‘find himself’, and he wasn’t getting wasted or high or having (too much) sex with weird people. He wasn’t destroying himself or his body, just making himself feel happy. He never regretted anything, or felt like he was making a mistake living like this.  
  
In fact, for the first time, he felt like he was _really_ himself. He wasn’t awkward or embarrassed to make a show of himself, he would sing and dance in public and laugh loudly and flirt with people if he thought he had a chance. He taught himself guitar and got some gigs at various bars in exchange for food and a soft place to sleep for the night. He didn’t know much, but he did know one thing:  
  
Life was good for Gary Goodspeed.


	3. 2. Intertwined - Dodie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gary on his feelings for the people in his life.

Gary didn't know much.  
  
He didn't know how to do long division. He didn't know how to do a front flip. He didn't know if things were really going to be okay.  
  
But he did know that sometimes there were things that never changed. Quinn would always be spicy, Mooncake would always be his buddy, KVN would always be annoying, and Avocato would always have a place in his heart.  
  
However.  
  
Gary was having some trouble figuring out exactly which place his feline companion belonged in the unstoppably powerful love storage machine that was his heart. Sure, he loved the guy, but the feelings were.. Confusing. Changing from moment to moment in every flavor of heart shapes and butterfly swarms and warm fuzzy feelings that his head had to offer him.  
  
When Quinn smiled at him, he knew that what he felt was romantic love, without a doubt. It was like fanning the flames- his heart would pick up and his smile would go wider and he would immediately be ready to ride or die for her at the drop of a hat. Curse his weak will, for it may one day be his downfall. (Thankfully, for now, Quinn used her godlike powers for good.)  
  
When Avocato smiles at him, it's like all of that but 2 inches to the left. When Avocato 'flirts' with him, its like a train carrying 50 heavy metal bands all playing at once hitting him full force square in the chest, but in a good way. His face heats up and his knees go weak and he gets blurry vision, and suddenly Avocato is the only thing he can see or hear, but his words are all fuzzy and confusing and he finds himself biting his cheek and bouncing on the balls of his feet. It's as if Avocato is pouring too much lovey mushy... _Stuff_ into him at once and he needs to run and shout and dance (or grab him and hold him tight and never let go) to let some of it out or else he might burst.  
  
Avocato doesn't respond to most of his jokes. Gary would spend hours dropping little cat puns into his words and telling him knock knock jokes, making up little stories and trying to see if he can get his shipmate to laugh. A lot of the time Quinn is the first one to crack, snorting and grinning and rolling her eyes and making Gary's spirits jump higher than the stars.  
  
But, when he _can_ get Avocato to laugh it's sweeter than all the cookies in the world combined, and it feels much more well earned. His laugh sounds the way dark hot chocolate tastes, rich and warm and safe. (And kinda hot, of course.)  
  
After a few times where Gary saved his life, thus forging an ironclad bond of trust and friendship between them, Gary cane to realize that Avocato is a very touchy feeling creature if given the chance. And after 5 years of total touch starvation, Gary was almost overwhelmed with how good it felt to have someone come behind him while he's playing video games or watching tv and just hold him for a few minutes, warm and soft and shaky with fear of what might happen next, Avocato's whiskers against his ear making him laugh a little to himself as he pulled his friend closer.  
  
Then there are the times when Avocato and Gary and Quinn (and sometimes Mooncake) all remember the way the universe is now and wind up in the living center of the ship on a pile of pillows just touching eachother for as long as Quinn and Gary will sit still, both of them petting Avocato's head and neck as if he were a cat, and while he denies it later he totally adores it, leaning into the touches happily and pressing their hands down more. If they get lucky, he starts purring so loud that when he tries to talk it comes out warbled and distorted with happiness and the humans laugh a little to eachother, cuddling closer together, knowing that they all love and trust eachother and that's okay, it won't hurt this time.  
  
When Gary has a flashback or a panic attack, he finds himself in Quinn or Avocato or Lil' Cato's knowing embrace, coming back to himself at record pace. When Quinn gets anxiety, Avocato will make her tea and help her breathe. When Avocato gets depressed, Gary practically yanks him out of bed and makes him dance and be silly and loud and _alive_. 

  
He isn't scared of losing his family any more, because he found his family again in these people. Destiny brought him back to Quinn and gave him the chance to fall in love with her all over again, and it brought him forward to Avocato and Mooncake.   
  
As he thought about it, he asked himself if it mattered what way he loved Avocato and Quinn, or if it mattered more how much.  


He decided, in the end, that life was short and they both belonged in his whole heart, and it was more fun if he loved them in every way he knew how. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pwease comment... Even if it's just a keysmash I wanna hear it


	4. 3. Danny's Song - Loggins & Messina

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> https://youtu.be/lrzSop3Y_KY  
> i cried while writing this ngl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> all aboard the fluff train beep beep.... in the form of a Rather Long Chapter

Little Cato was really smart. Like, _really_ really smart.

Gary realized this a little while after playing 4 rounds of BS and losing to a 16 year old who had somehow managed to call out every single bluff they made without even looking up from his cards. Four. Times. In a row! The first three may have been beginners luck, but _four frickin’ times!_?

Quinn was right along with him, their quick minds matching each other play for play. Gary stood up sharply and shouted, “Okay, okay, how the crap are you two doing this?! Am I- can- can you see my cards? Is Mooncake doing smoke signals at you from across the room?!”

The others laughed (even Avocato, which gave Gary a bit of a high) and he hit his hands on the table a few times. “Youuuuuuuu guys are _CHEAAAATING_!”

“No, we aren’t. You just suck at lying,” Cato said with a sardonic smirk. Gary spluttered and gasped. ( Avocato shot his son a prideful look, love coming up in his chest like warm honey.)

“I-I am offended! I’ll have you know that I beat your father at cards well over a dozen times!”

“Yeah, while I was handcuffed and being held captive. Not exactly fair play.”

Gary groaned, hitting his head on the desk once before pointing accusingly at the younger Ventrexian. “You- you suck! Now tell me your secrets, you filthy secret-keeper!”

Cato’s resolve broke and he burst into snort filled laughter, resting his head in his hands. “Oh my _God_ , you guys are total _disasters-_ how did you ever handle each other without me?”

“Very carefully,” “We didn’t,” the both of them answered at once before making eye contact with each other. Gary looked away first, laughing to himself. Quinn coughed and shot Cato a knowing look.

* * *

Everyone else was fast asleep and Gary was pacing through the halls, staring out into the stars. They were lucky enough to be passing a nebula, so there was a view outside for once. Gary took it in with wonder.

He heart soft footfalls coming down the hall and glanced over to see Cato with one hand in the pockets of his robe and the other wrapped around a mug of something warm. “What’re you doing?”

“I’m watching.”

  
“Watching what? We’re too far away to see anything good,” Cato said, taking a sip of his drink and looking out.

“Guess it’s an Earth thing. Looking out there reminds me how tiny I am.” Gary shrugged and put his hand on Cato’s shoulder. The teen looked up at him and put his own hand on Gary’s, letting out a shaky breath.

“I had a bad dream.”

Gary hummed. “Yeah… I get those a lot, too. Wanna talk about it?”

Cato looked at the ground and shrugged. He stood there for a while before suddenly wrapping his arms around Gary’s waist and clinging onto him like his life depended on it. Gary was startled at first, but relaxed, petting his head. Cato spoke quietly, voice muffled in the fabric of Gary’s suit. “Thanks. For everything. For saving my dad. And me. We’d both be dead if- if you hadn’t-”

Garu shushed him and picked him up, bouncing a little and rubbing his back (the way his father had with him). Cato’s pulse pounded in his chest like a drum. “Wanna go play video games until you feel better?”

Cato sniffed, then nodded. “Sorry about freaking out like that.. ‘M stressed is all. Not used to… not having to worry anymore. I still feel like I’m back there, and it’s _scary_. It was bad. Not knowing if I’d survive the day, every single day. Not knowing where dad was or if he would come back...”

Gary internally reaffirmed his goal to murder Lord Commander’s face off, holding Cato tighter. “I won’t ever let him hurt you again. Me and Avocato and Quinn and Mooncake- we’ve got your back forever, thick and thin and nothing. You’re one of us now. And I know your dad would never leave you by choice. He loves you more than anything in the universe, little dude,” he reassured. His eyes pricked with tears.

He carried Cato in through the dining room and into the living quarters, seeing that some retro games were already set up. HUE must have been listening.

(After Gary’s sentence ran out, HUE gave the group access to a bunch of different features of the ship that Gary didn’t even know about, including a huge entertainment system and a real kitchen. Gary was very shocked to hear that the ship wasn’t built as a prison ship, but as a modified long-term housing unit.)

He set Cato down on one of the beanbag chairs and sat himself next to him, passing a remote over. “Your pick, buddy.”

Cato didn’t speak, sorting through the games and picking out a racing game from the early 2010’s, grabbing a blanket off the floor and wrapping it around himself and Gary. They played in comfortable silence for a while, with no arguing because Gary managed to get them both on the same team for the game. Cato broke the silence eventually, not looking up.

“I know you’ve got feelings for my dad.”

Gary immediately crashed his car in the game, flinching. “I- uh. Um. E-e-excuuuuuse me?”

“Yeah, you’re not really subtle about it. What with all the staring and the look you get when he looks at you. It’s the same look you get when Quinn compliments you, and _everyone_ knows how you feel about her.”

Gary kept glancing back and forth between him and the screen, a mixture of shock and fear and embarrassment flooding his system. “I. Y-you.. I-is that.. Alright? I don’t wanna seem like..” He took a deep breath and paused the game, looking over at Cato.

“When I was like, 6? My dad started dating this girl. She was alright, but she kept getting really defensive whenever I’d hang out with them. Like I was a problem or some crap. I guess what I mean is I don’t want you to think I’m trying to get in between you guys’ rockin parent-kid-ness. And that’s even _if_ it works out in the end, which it might not,” he laughed bitterly. “Man, I have got a lot of crap I need to sort out. But yeah.”

Cato nodded and patted Gary’s shoulder. “Oh, I know all that. Me and dad are a package deal, though. You have to deal with me too if you want him,” he smirked.

“Please, I’m already stuck with you forever! We shook hands, you’re in this for _LIFE_ now, Little Cato!”

They both laughed and Gary wrapped an arm around his shoulder. There was a beat of silence.

“I think you’d make a pretty cool dad. And I think Quinn would make a really cool mom.”

Gary grinned and flopped backwards. “God, yeah she would! She’d be the mom at the PTA meeting that threatens the other moms for thinking their kids are better than you. And she’d be right, you’re the coolest! Oh- oh! And Avocato would be there too, doing the same thing. I’d be cheering them on.”

Cato hummed, looking over at him. “Yeah. That’d be pretty sweet.”

* * *

Avocato woke up to Quinn gently shaking him. He almost punched her, before processing the situation and groaning.

“What the h-”

“Shhhh…. Just come with me,” she whispered, a barely contained smile on her face.

He followed her out into the living quarters and stopped in the doorway, smiling fondly. Gary and Little Cato rested on the floor, drooling and sleeping soundly, blankets placed carefully over them. Cato’s head rested on Gary’s chest as they slept, going up and down slowly with Gary’s breathing.

Quinn wrapped an arm around Avocato’s shoulder and rested her head there. “I took a picture, don’t worry.”

He looked up and nodded, laughing quietly to himself. A warm, fuzzy feeling filled up his lungs and he sighed deeply. HUE’s voice came quietly from a speaker in the hall. “Cato and Gary both had nightmares about 8 hours ago. They had a bit of a ‘heart-to-heart’ and fell back asleep in the living quarters. I took care of them.”

Avocato thanked HUE, motioning to Quinn. “Let’s go make breakfast.”

  
Quinn followed, glancing back at them with a careful smile.  
  
  
  



	5. 4. Fine By Me - Andy Grammer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> im gonna give the gays everything they want

Gary was PUMPED. He had taken the Hype Train right up from Readyville to Unstoppable Excitement City and he could not for the life of him sit or god forbid _stand_ still, much less focus on what was going on.

Avocato had agreed to help him cook dinner for everyone as a surprise, and he was beyond thrilled at the idea. Ever since HUE gave them access to a kitchen, Gary was getting more and more anxious to try making and eating home cooked meals again after 5 years of prison food.

They’d decided to try cooking omelettes and a vanilla cake, since it was pretty easy and didn’t have a whole lot of extra ingredients they’d need to get, and Mooncake could help out with some stuff if he wanted to. Gary had set up the ingredients while Avocato chopped things, the two of them moving in near-perfect sync throughout the kitchen while Mooncake occasionally dipped down to investigate their products thus far. Avocato looked over at Gary as he started pouring the eggs into the pan. “Hey, Gary?”

He turned his head toward Avocato, humming in response.

“Don’t burn anything, alright?” he smirked and winked, turning back around and continuing with the methodic chopping. Gary laughed and went back to work, brushing it off as nothing. He hummed to himself, working into a rhythm.

They fell into their respective Zones and flitted between stations without paying much mind to it. Avocato was mixing some eggs when he heard Gary’s constant quiet humming take shape into words, melody, song.

His voice was… Something else. It took Avocato very off guard to hear his normally loud and shaky voice sound so…. Sure. It took Avocato a hot second to realize he was singing a love song, and it sounded like it was meant to be a lot faster and with a lot of background music, but he sang it like it was something personal to him.

Gary stood over the pan, shaking it occasionally to keep the eggs from sticking to the sides. He was deep in concentration, trying to see when the right time to flip it was, not even noticing he was still singing.

He didn’t expect the warm feeling of arms wrapping around his waist and a soft, fuzzy face in the crook of his neck. He turned his head and found himself nose to nose with Avocato. He felt himself smile and put his free hand on top of his friend’s, intertwining their fingers. Avocato purred quietly and laughed. “Nice singing there, hotshot.”

Gary’s cheeks went red and he flinched a little, looking back at the eggs and poking the side with his spatula. “Sorry about that. I’m still not used to like, living with people ‘n all that jazz. Old habits die hard, y’know?”

His cheeks went even more red as Avocato laughed, deep and actually tangible against his back. “I was being serious; you should sing more. You have a beautiful voice.”

The fact that his face was _right there_ and he was saying a bunch of very nice things about something Gary was very insecure about was, to say the least, a little overwhelming for his brain. He basically short circuited, blinking up at Avocato in a daze. “I-I uh.. Tha-thanks man..!”

And Avocato, the absolute _madman_ , had the _gall_ to lean close and slowly close his eyes and kiss Gary on the cheek, light and hesitant, as if he was worried what Gary might do. His canine tooth stuck through his lips, gently poking Gary’s cheek.

Gary smiled uncontrollably, leaning back into him and hiding his face. “Oh my _God_ , did you--!!” he laughed.

Avocato almost backed off, worried he did the wrong thing, but Gary grabbed his hands and pulled him closer at the last second, turning himself around and standing on his tip-toes to return the favor, kissing him on his right cheek and staying there for a few solid seconds before pulling away. Avocato made a quiet _mrow_ sound and the fur around his ears stood on end, his pupils going wide in shock and happiness. Gary smirked. “Don’t make me burn the food, _Avocato_ ,” he teased, winking and turning back around, leaving a very _very_ flustered Avocato in his wake.

* * *

 

Avocato had a _much_ harder time focusing after that stunt, continually glancing back at Gary, who seemed more hyper and focused than ever. He was also singing fearlessly now, which caught him off guard. He was very distracting.

Once the omelettes were all done and the cake was in the oven, the two of them sat on the counter, both of them too nervous to break the silence that hung heavy in the air. Gary kicked his legs back and forth and sighed. He looked over at Avocato and saw the other was looking at him in return. He cleared his throat.

“Was.. that too much? Earlier?”

Avocato blinked, slowly. He reached a little, resting his hand on Gary’s and shook his head. “I uh… I’m just.. Not used to it.”

Gary laughed. “Well, that’s a little hard to believe. You’re- well,” he gestured towards Avocato as a whole. Avocato tilted his head. Gary looked away, then back at him, blushing.

“You’re perfect, y’know? You’re the _total_ package, you can’t possibly not know that.”

He stuttered, scratching the back of his neck with the hand that Gary wasn’t tracing his thumb across the back of. “I- I mean.. I’m not. Also, the bounty hunter business didn’t exactly bring in the babes.”

Gary laughed, scooting closer and squeezing Avocato’s hand. “You really are like, totally awesome, though. You’re smart, suave, and totally hot, and you don’t even have to _try_ to be. It’s really unfair, like, save some for the rest of us!”

Avocato hid behind his hand, laughing with Gary. Once they stopped, they held eye contact, but it wasn’t awkward or weird anymore. They both leaned further in, slowly, and their lips met.

Avocato was warm. Like, really warm. Like holding a hot water bottle. The kiss wasn’t really noteworthy, but it was gentle and cautious and held a lot of weight. They both pulled back at the same time and laughed again, holding each other close, like they might float away.  

“I thought you liked Quinn. Is this just-”

“I like both of you. I dunno. It’s weird! But, like, I figure if everyone’s happy, we don’t really have to work out the details. That’s lame. I’d rather just.. Keep you both. You’re both worth keeping.”

Avocato nodded and cupped Gary’s cheek in his hand. “I’d like that.”

They pressed their foreheads together and Mooncake nuzzled his way between them, leeching off their heat and cooing, thankful a happy ending could be reached.

Well... A happy beginning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i got flustered writing this jndcksnckdjcnskjnfdc if there's any typos tell me i refuse to edit this any more


	6. 5. You Matter To Me - Waitress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> DISCLAIMER: "but olly!! episode 4 takes place WAAAY before this fic does!" oh yeah? i have a permit. i do what i want. im wedging this in right after the end of episode 4.  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AREDtpRZTSA  
> i reccomend listening to the song first for this one

“Okay, now, just… Hold still. This is gonna hurt.”

Gary closed his eyes and held his breath, biting his bottom lip. “Okay, I’ve got it. I’m ready.”

He was a little surprised when Quinn touched his sun-singed cheek with a handful of the cream medicine they’d found and it didn’t hurt  _ too  _ badly. It was cold against him, and actually felt kind of nice. Then she moved her hand and it felt like his face was getting ripped off. Huh.

He groaned and tapped his foot as he tried to stay still, to focus on  _ anything _ else. He focused on Quinn, on how close she was. On how she smelled like the ocean and old books and on how she stuck her tongue out of the corner of her mouth when she focused. How, for once, all of her attention was on him.

The pain slowly died down from the medicine’s effect and he sighed, leaning a little into her hands. She rolled her eyes. “You sure you can’t do this by yourself?”

“Robot hand. Might make it worse.”

“Why not use your other hand?”

“It feels weird. I don’t know how to explain it,” he lied through a pained smile, covering up the two  _ real _ reasons he’d rather have her do it. First, of course, because he loved having her close to him whenever he had a good excuse. Second… He still felt like part of him wasn’t his own after Lord Commander had picked him up and thrown him around like a ragdoll. Ripped off his arm. All that.

Quinn signed and got more medicine on her hand, gently spreading it over his burns. Her eyes occasionally met his, sending butterflies through him in waves of happy dizziness. He sniffled and she shushed him, leaning in closer. 

“Why did you stay out there so long?” 

He shrugged and laughed bitterly. “I… It’s.. kinda dumb.”

“I bet it was. You gonna tell me what happened?”

Gary sighed, closing his eyes as she slowed to a stop, resting one hand on his cheek. “You know uh.. What happened. To-,” he took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. “John.”

She looked off to the side in thought before tensing with realization. “Oh.”

“Yeah. Explosions just…. I didn’t know they were a  _ thing _ until I was like, freaking out. I couldn’t do anything, I was just stuck there. It hasn’t happened since I was a kid..”

Gary felt worse with each word, but the bad thoughts fell away when Quinn carefully moved her hand across the side of his face, making him look into her eyes. “Hey. I get it.”

He smiled and leaned into her touch, looking up at her with an adoration so heavy it caught her off guard. She blinked and felt herself blush.

“You said it hadn’t happened since you were a kid… Did you go on meds for it?”

He shrugged. “For a while. They made it worse, though. I got sick a lot and I’d stay awake for  _ days.. _ .”

She hummed to herself, nodding a little. “They never changed what you took?”

“I never gave them a chance,” he said, bitter laughter spiking his voice. She tilted her head and he refused to look her in the eye. “I ran away from my foster parents when I was 17 years old. Hard to get medicine when you’re on the run from the cops.”

Quinn was a little shocked. She wasn’t sure what his childhood was like but… She didn’t think it was anything like that. “I.. You know it wasn’t your fault, right?”

He looked further away and Quinn carefully sat on the bed next to him and opened her arms. He blinked before slowly inching towards her, cautious and shocked. She rolled her eyes. “Come here before I change my mind.”

He grinned and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, careful of the burns on his face. She was warm, except for her shoulders, which were kind of cold. He hummed as she held him, feeling secure and at home in her arms. 

They stayed like that for a while, just holding each other in silence. Neither of them moved, their breathing falling into sync and the sound of Quinn’s heartbeat calming Gary down. He sighed quietly. “Thanks, Quinn.. I needed that.”

She smiled fondly and ruffled his hair. “Don’t look too deep into it, alright? I just… Nobody deserves to think like that. If there was nobody to tell you that then, here’s me telling you now. It isn’t your fault.”

“I know.. I wish my brain knew that too, sometimes,” he said, still not looking at her. 

“Next time you start feeling bad, just.. Get me. I’ll try to help.”

“You always help. You make everything in the universe better just by… Being you. Snarky, smart, incredible you.”

Her heart stuttered in her chest and she buried her face in his messy hair. “I… Thank you. I’m glad I can help.”

They fell asleep like that, after a while. When Gary woke up, breakfast was almost done in the kitchen.


	7. 6. Owl City - If My Heart Was A House

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this is so fuckinhn gay.. i blame the garycato week server

“You really have no idea how to waltz?”  
  
“Nope, not a clue! Kinda hard to like, learn that stuff when you’re on the run, or in space with nobody to waltz with,” Gary replied, raking a hand through his hair. Avocato stepped closer, almost hesitant.

“Want me to teach you?”

He held a hand out to Gary and there was this faraway look in his eye, practically pulling Gary in. Their hands met and they pulled back, onl for a moment, before intertwining their fingers and moving closer. Avocato took Gary’s other hand, resting it on his shoulder and placing his own on Gary’s waist.  
  
“Hue, play something Gary’d like in ¾ time.”

“Now playing.”

The music started up and Gary started looking nervous, looking everywhere except at Avocato. Avocato rolled his eyes with a smirk, pulling Gary so close that their chests brushed when either of them took a breath. Gary’s heart pounded and he tightened his grip on Avocato’s hand as he looked into his eyes, finally. He forced himself to speak and prayed his voice didn’t shake. “Okay, now what?”  
  
Avocato took a step back and pulled Gary along with him, their steps falling together like matching pieces of a puzzle. He leaned his head down, lips almost brushing Gary’s cheek.

“Just follow my lead, alright?”

Gary almost choked, his knees going weak and head suddenly spinning. He leaned more on Avocato for support. “Okay,” he said in a whisper because he didn’t trust his voice not to crack.

“One, two, three. One, two, three,” Avocato counted out loud as he pulled and pushed Gary to the beat, guiding him like there was a set of invisible strings pulling them along. Like he’d known how to do this his entire life. It also felt like he was putting his life in Avocato’s hands, letting him lead them around with total trust. It felt _right_ , though. Like right then and there he was invincible, his steps matching Avocato hour to hour, note to note.

Avocato shifted the hand on Gary’s waist, moving up a little. Gary shivered and squeezed his hand, looking up and catching his dance partner’s eye. Avocato smirked with a wink and Gary laughed, cheeks burning.

Avocato squeezed his hand. "You’re really good at this.”

Gary smiled shyly, glowing with pride. “You really think so..?”

“Mhmm, you’re a natural. Ready for the next part?”

“There’s a _next part_?” Gary said with a nervous grin, his eyes widening.

Avocato laughed that beautiful golden-bell laugh of his and Gary felt the sound fill him up like warm honey, and then he was spinning, one hand in the air and still connecting him to Avocato like a lifeline as the rest of him hovered a mile above the ground. Then he was back in his friends arms, their noses nearly touching and his heart caught in his throat.

“..Wow,” Gary breathed, and Avocato leaned closer, their foreheads pressing together. Their footfalls trickled to a stop and they stood, basking in the starlight that poured in from the window, looking into each other’s eyes.

“See, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” Avocato said with a smile that could outshine the stars as he reached up and brushed some hair out of Gary’s eyes, resting his hand on his cheek.

And they leaned forward more, at the same time, a silent game of chicken, until they were close enough to bridge the gap between them, their lips meeting for only a moment. They both were careful, like they weren’t sure the other was aware of what was happening, barely touching each other. Gary hummed quietly and closed his eyes as he pulled Avocato in towards him the last infinitesimal distance, finally kissing him properly. In the same instant, Avocato wrapped his arm fully around Gary’s waist and dipped him down, supporting his weight easily on one arm while the other cupped his cheek.

It felt like drinking cold water after going across the desert. It felt like sitting by the fire after playing in the snow. It felt like- well.

It felt like kissing your crush after pining after him for _months_.

But it was clumsy and passionate and tough to accomplish because Gary would not stop giggling long enough for him to get a good kiss in. He eventually started laughing with him until they ended up kissing each other again, finding a happy balance.

Avocato was practically drunk by the time they pulled apart, their lips still touching as they took deep breaths, the world coming back to them bit by bit. Gary tilted his head back just slightly, his lips pushing against the corner of Avocato’s mouth, then his cheek, then the bridge of his nose. Avocato laughed, blushing wildly as Gary kissed every spot he could reach.

“Keep that up and I might drop you,” Avocato whispered, trying and failing to keep his cool under all the affection.

“Mmm, do want me to stop?” Gary smirked, pressing a lingering kiss to his lips.

Avocato gave in and picked him up bridal style to kiss him again, effectively silencing him, not that Gary was complaining. Avocato’s hands pushed through Gary’s hair and Gary laughed against his lips.

The song ended and the sounds of their hearts beating in a quiet harmony, the whirring of the ship’s engines filled the air around them like thunder filling the space after a lightning strike, leaving them back in reality where they were both warm, alone, and extremely close.

Gary put his hand on Avocato’s and looked up at him like he hung the stars in the sky, his hair a mess and his cheeks still red. Avocato is a simple man. He kissed Gary again, gentler, trying to pour all the love he was too afraid to say out loud into it.

Gary seemed to get the message when they pulled back and he blurted out, “Good lord in heaven, I love you.”

Avocato actually _squeaked_ , his ears going flat and then pointing up again. He opened his mouth, trying to talk, only managing a strained whisper. “Iloveyoutoo!”

Gary smiled wider, his look softening. “You’re sooooo cute... “  
  
“Hey, if I kiss you again will you shut up?”

“Only one way to find out!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oof it took me a while to pick the song for this one. I almost picked i cant help falling in love with you buuuuut i figured i'd save that one for a really special chapter. You guys deserve something Big for that.
> 
> The Garycato week server wanted me to use whats new pussycat but? I would NOT have been able to write this with what's new pussycat looping in the background, id have lost my MIND on the 4th play. So! I chose anchor because i feel like it really? Fits the two of them and their relationship. Gary's constantly throwing himself into things blindly and Avocato is there to keep him grounded, remind him what he's fighting for. <3<3


	8. 7. Marina and the Diamonds - I Am Not A Robot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> needed some quinn and avocato content, whos ready for tomorrow nights episode because im not!

Gary had some problems. He tried really, _really_ hard to keep them under wraps with humor and smiles and distractions but there was something under the surface that bugged Avocato. Like he didn’t know the whole story, and Gary was putting on a front to seem stronger. Of course, at first, Avocato figured he was just being paranoid. But...

Avocato really knew it after one night when they’d been sitting on the couch for a while, just resting. Gary was asleep next to him, curled up into a ball, and Avocato was going over some data when Gary shifted, whining in his sleep.

“No… mm..”

Avocato looked over and saw Gary gripping onto his pant leg and holding his eyes shut tightly.

“No.. No, no no,” he got louder, shaking slightly, “no no _NO_ -”

He shot up, standing and backing himself up against the far back corner of the couch. Avocato jumped with him, his tail twitching anxiously. “What’s wrong?”

Gary’s eyes were unfocused and his chest heaved like he was a hunted animal, clutching at his left shoulder and scratching at his robot arm like it was a parasite. He blinked for a while and he seemed to come back to himself, his breathing evening out just slightly. He looked towards Avocato and practically tackled him, his breath picking up again as he clung to his friend’s torso. Avocato staggered backwards but wrapped his arms around Gary in return, picking him up and letting Gary bury his face in the crook of his neck.

Avocato shushed him, rubbing his back and pulling him down onto the couch. Gary sat in his lap and refused to let go of him, sniffling on occasion.

“It’s okay, I’m right here… You’re safe, Gary… Are you okay with me touching you..?”

Gary nodded frantically, leaning close into him as he gulped down air like he was running out. Avocato put a hand on his cheek, taking big, slow breaths and helping Gary do the same thing. Gary calmed down slightly, but he still flinched when footsteps approached.

“Why are you guys awake…? It’s too early for this…”

Avocato shushed her and motioned her over. She saw Gary, shaking like a leaf in his arms. She quickened her pace, sitting on the couch next to them and mouthing ‘what happened’ to Avocato, who mouthed ‘nightmare’ back at her. She nodded and patted Avocato’s shoulder.

“Gary… Are you okay…?”

He took a deep, shaking breath and managed to squeak out an “I’m fine,” smiling up at her. “Nothing I can’t-... can’t handle.”

She frowned at that, hesitantly holding her hand out towards him. After a moment of confused staring, he carefully reached up and intertwined their fingers, looking at him and squeezing gently.

“...okay?”

“...Okay.”

Gary leaned his head back and rested there, his adrenaline going down rapidly. He shivered.

“‘M sorry. You guys shouldn’t have to deal with me when I’m like that,” he murmured, looking away from them. They shared a concerned glance and scooted closer to him, shushing him. Avocato continued to pet his hair and rub circles into his back while Quinn kept his hands in her own.

“We don’t _deal_ with you, Gary. You’re our friend. We help you because we love you, not out of obligation,” Avocato leaned in and nuzzled Gary’s shoulder, knowing physical affection was a good source of comfort for him. Gary lifted his chin and pulled himself closer to the both of them, biting back tears that kept pushing up.

“Yeah. You’re important to us, Gary.”

And the dam broke. Gary broke down sobbing in Avocato’s arms, trying to hold his breath and failing. “I- I love y-you guys a lot-- I’m..” He sniffled and wiped his face, hiccupping between breaths and refusing to look either of them in the eye. Avocato shushed him more and kept him close, his heartbeat steady and calming.

“It’s alright, now… You’re fine, see? Just fine…”

Gary nodded and took deep breaths, slowing his heart rate and falling back asleep.

Quinn looked up at Avocato, who was still playing with Gary’s hair. Avocato had this look in his eye, something fond and distant. She scooted closer to him.

“He’s got stuff he needs to work through.”

Avocato nodded and sighed deeply, resting his head on her shoulder. “I… I wanna help him, but… I’ve never been good at this kind of thing. I might make things worse.”

“Hey,” Quinn said, putting her hand under his chin and turning his head towards her. “You’re a great person, and Gary loves you. Anything you can do will help.”

Avocato was taken aback, unsure how to react. Quinn was usually pretty distant with him, this was new. He blinked and his ears twitched. “I… Thank you. He loves you too, behind all that fake flirty crap.”

She laughed and Avocato felt himself smile with her. She just had that effect on people. “Yeah.. somewhere deep down, I think I… I think I feel that way about the both of you, too. Y’know,” she elbowed his side playfully, “underneath all the fake stuff. You don’t have to pretend to be all stoic for his sake. It’s okay to be scared.”

Oh. _Oh._ Avocato’s face felt warm and he laughed nervously. So this was why Gary acted like an idiot around her. She could practically see right through him. “I- uh.. Yeah. You’re right. But he needs to be able to count on someone. I know what it’s like to lose someone important and… I can’t let that happen to him. Not again.”

Quinn nodded and looked up, catching his eye. “Yeah. I know what you mean.”

The two of them stared at eachother for a while, unaware that they were leaning in towards eachother until their foreheads bumped and they snapped back to reality, blushing and laughing nervously. Avocato smirked.

“If I were to kiss you on the cheek, would you punch me?”

She returned the look. “Only one way to find out, right?”

He laughed and leaned in, aiming for just above her cheekbone, but at the last second she turned her head and their lips met. The world seemed to be stuck in place and they pulled apart just as fast, both of them blushing profusely.

“That was-”

“Um-”

“I’m sorry, I-”

They both stopped and looked at the other before breaking up laughing, Avocato wrapping an arm around her.

“Was… that cool?” Avocato said, ears flattening slightly.

“I’d let you know if it wasn’t.”

He smirked. “Fair enough, princess.”

“ _Don’t_ call me princess.”


	9. 8. Take Each Day - American Analog

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> usin the gary space song for the last chapter.. a power move, dare i say  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=411iqlKYQ50

Little Cato was well past asleep, leaving the three adults that resided on the Galaxy One to their own business, playing cards amongst themselves in the commissary. They were on round 6 of bullshit, and Quinn had won the last 3 rounds in a row. Avocato had 2 wins to his name, leaving Gary with one measly win (because the other two were still getting the hang of the game and he won by default). Now that they understood the rules, they both played like professionals, leaving Gary in the dust.

Gary looked closely as Quinn placed down a card, announcing that it was a 2. Just as Avocato was about to put down a card, Gary stuck his hand out to block him. “Wait.”

“Oh, God, here we go,” Avocato smiled fondly as Gary stared at Quinn across the table, squinting accusingly. He cleared his throat. 

“That’s, ah, a two, you said?”

Quinn nodded. “I did say that, Gary.”

Gary stood up, slamming his hand down on the table with a manic grin. “Oh? Yeah? I call bullshit!”

She hummed, keeping a steely gaze. “Flip it over, then. Watch what happens.”

Gary’s confidence faltered. “Qui- Quinn, I have all the twos. I have all of them. There is no way you just put a two down, I have them  _ all _ !”

Avocato groaned and flipped the card over, revealing a 6. Gary laughed triumphantly and shoved the pile of cards over to her, looking immensely proud of himself. Avocato put down his three and smirked knowingly at Gary as he put down his card. Before it even hit the table-   
“Bullshit.”   
“Bullshit.”

Gary slammed the card down and glared at both of them, yanking it back along with Avocato’s card. “You two are the  _ worst _ ! How did you know that?!”

Quinn laughed and the two boys stared, their attention held in suspension as she spoke. “You kind of have a tell.”

Gary blinked and shook his head. “Your turn.”

She shuffled her hand and organized it, looking up at him from over the edges of her cards. “What number are we on?”

“Uhh..”

Avocato looked at him, his ear twitching. “Did you forget?”

Gary spluttered and huffed. “Why was I in charge of keeping track?!”

“You’re the dealer, you’re supposed to know!” Quinn bit back at him, but the amusement on her face was clear. 

“Yeah, captain,” Avocato teased, elbowing him. Gary blushed, crossing his arms. 

“You guys suck, lets just look at the last card that got played,” Quinn said, flipping it over. It was a queen.

“So we’re on queens? Because I strictly remember a two being called,” Gary said. 

Quinn groaned and dropped her cards onto the table. “Let’s play something else, I’m bored.”

Gary grinned and tilted his head towards her. “I guess you could say you’re  _ fed up with our bullshit _ ?”

“Gary, sweetie?”   
Gary blinked and nodded, still processing that she called him  _ sweetie _ . It left a fluttery feeling in his stomach and he grinned, confidence spiking. “Mm, yes, Quinn, darling?”

“For the love of God. Shut up,” she said with a grin, resting her hand on top of Gary’s. Gary smiled back at her, leaning closer.

“Nah, you like it, don’t deny it,” Gary responded, gently squeezing her hand.

Avocato laughed and looked back and forth between them, love filling his chest like warm honey as they bickered back and forth. It felt so much like  _ home _ to see the two of them, talking and existing so comfortably around each other. Rather than feeling jealous, he just felt like it was supposed to happen, the happiness between the two of them overflowing into him as well. 

The humans paused, turning to look at him as if he had said something. He blinked, and they just kept staring at him, Quinn looking surprised and Gary looking… Smug? Something like that.

“What?”

Quinn laughed, still shocked. “Are you… purring?”

Avocato blushed furiously, holding his breath to try and stop it. “Uh, no?”

Gary hugged him, giggling. “You’re just the cutest thing!”

“Gary, shut the hell up,” Avocato bit out, blushing more as Gary nuzzled his chest. 

Quinn laughed. “It  _ is _ pretty cute.”

The purring hit harder and he covered his face, smiling between his fingers. “Stop it- come on!”

Gary looked up at him and Avocato looked back, their eyes locking. Gary quickly leaned up and pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth, smiling up at him. Quinn rolled her eyes and sat on the other side of Avocato, yanking him down by the neckline of his shirt and kissing his cheek. He made a soft ‘mrow’ sound in surprise, hiding his face in his arms. 

“You two are going to give me a heart attack,” he complained, “and I’m gonna have to spend a week in the medbay. And it will be your fault, both of you.” His voice was airy and shaky with the sound of his purrs. Quinn and Gary both laughed together, leaning on him. 

“Come on, Avocato, lighten up!” Quinn ruffled the fur on top of his head and he groaned.

The three of them stayed like that for a while, close, petting Avocato’s back as he purred and purred… After a while, Gary looked down at him and blinked. “Woah, I think he fell asleep…”

Quinn smiled, a warm sight. Gary watched as she scooted out of the booth, motioning for him to help her carry Avocato into his room.

It was fairly easy, considering how strong Quinn was. The hard part was getting him down the elevator, which Gary had to help out with quite a bit. Avocato almost woke back up once they went into zero gravity, but Gary leaned down and pet his head and he sighed, cuddling back against Quinn, much to her embarrassment. 

They made it to his room and carefully set him on the bed, the two of them sitting on the side of it as he slept, neither one quite prepared to speak just yet. The silence was only filled with Avocato’s sleep-muffled purring as he curled around their backs.

“So uh… Do you like him?”

Quinn looked up. She blinked, biting her bottom lip and trying to figure out what to say. “I… I like him.”

Gary nodded. “Cool, cool. I do too. He’s-...” Gary sighed, looking down at him. “He’s something special.”

Quinn looked back up at him and he smiled softly. “But so are you, so like, win win.”

She laughed and looked at him closely before offering him her hand.

“Look, Gary… I don’t know what’s gonna happen. But I-”

She paused as Avocato shifted, rolling onto his back.

“I know I want you both to be a part of it. With me.”

Gary sat there for a while, in total shock. He smirked, leaning towards her. “Are you asking us out, ma’am?”

She groaned and pushed his face away, giggling in spite of herself. “Don’t say it like that!”

They laughed together and looked down, noticing how close their hands were. They bridged the gap at the same time, intertwining their fingers. Gary cleared his throat.

“You know, from what I’ve heard, you and I are the only ones who haven’t kissed yet out of the three of us.”

Quinn looked up at him. “Is that your way of hitting on me? Saying you’ve kissed Avocato?”

He faltered, scratching the back of his head nervously. She shook her head, fondness in her eyes, pulling him forward and placing a quick kiss to his lips. 

He sat there, breathing shallow and quick, for a few moments. She laughed as she stood up, walking out. 

“Happy now, Gary?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Go to bed soon, unless you plan on sharing a bed with Avocato.”

“...I do.”

She paused with a sigh, turning around. "Then make some room."

Gary laughed nervously, scooting Avocato over as she laid down, kicking her boots off. He let her lay next to him and their hands fell together, their fingers intertwining.

"Y'know, I used to think I was like... cursed. That I was bad luck. This pretty much proves I was wrong."

"Gary?"  


"Yeah?"

"Go to sleep."

Gary took Avocato's hand in his open one, closing his eyes. 

"Okay."

**Author's Note:**

> Comments keep me writing! If you have any ideas for later chapters please feel free to comment them below, or send me an ask on my tumblr! (@colacharm)


End file.
